On July 19, The Church of the Incarnation rejoiced in two intertwined moments of grace: the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene and the 40th anniversary of Sister Marguerite Mae’s life profession in The Community of the Sisters of the Church. Together, they invite us into the story of a life spent seeking – and being found by – the Living God.
Let us begin with Mary of Magdala. Mary is mentioned in the New Testament over a dozen times – more than any other woman except Jesus’ mother, Mary. She was present at the cross, at the tomb, and in the garden. When others abandoned Jesus, she remained. When the tomb was found empty, she lingered. She stayed even when there was nothing left to do but weep. And it was in that act of faithful presence that she became the first to see and hear her name called by the risen Christ. And it was to her that he entrusted the first proclamation of resurrection. She was the apostle to the apostles.
One would think, then, that she would be regarded by the Church with the greatest reverence and respect. And yet, over the centuries, Mary Magdalene’s image has been obscured by error and invention. Contrary to what many have heard, there is no biblical evidence that she was a prostitute or a public sinner of any kind. Not that it would be terrible if there was, but there simply isn’t.
The confusion began in the year 591, when Pope Gregory the Great conflated Mary Magdalene with the unnamed “sinful woman” who anointed Jesus’ feet in Luke 7 and with Mary of Bethany. He stated, “She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary, we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected. And what did these seven devils signify, if not all the vices? It is clear, brothers, that the woman previously used the unguent to perfume her flesh in forbidden acts…” By making those three women into one Mary Magdalene, Gregory turned Mary from a sick woman who was healed by Jesus into a sinful woman, who was, of course, also healed by Jesus.
Few ascribe malicious intent to Gregory, who likely wanted to use the story to assure potential converts that their sins, of all manner, would be forgiven. But, from there, art, literature, and tradition cemented the image of Mary Magdalene as the penitent harlot, a compelling but utterly unfounded depiction. And, it seems clear that, over the centuries, some have intentionally sullied Mary Magdalene’s reputation to suppress women’s leadership in the church.
Our scriptures treat Mary with nothing but respect. When the Gospel writers provide a list of names, Mary’s name is given primacy by being listed first. She is never identified by her relationship to a man as other women are. She is not said to be someone’s wife, or sister, or mother. She is Mary of Magdala, likely a woman of means and standing, from a thriving fishing town on the Sea of Galilee. The Gospels suggest she was among a group of independent women who not only followed Jesus but helped finance his ministry. When Jesus was arrested and crucified, these women, led by Mary, remained faithful.
Mary’s courage and constancy offer us a vision of what faithful discipleship looks like. Her seeking was not passive or sentimental; it was active, open, attentive, responsive, and ultimately rewarded. As Pope Gregory – yes, the same Pope Gregory – later reflected: “Mary then immediately recognizes her Creator and calls him ‘Rabboni,’ that is ‘Teacher,’ for he whom she sought without was within her, teaching her to seek.” That line invites us to recognize the mystery of the spiritual life: the One we seek is already within us. Already whispering our name. Already shaping our desire to seek.
This is the same mystery that animates the life of The Community of the Sisters of the Church. While their patron is Michael and All Angels, their mission statement reflects Mary Magdalene’s vocation. It reads… “By our worship, ministry, and life in community, we desire to be channels of the reconciling love and acceptance of Christ, to acknowledge the dignity of every person, and to enable others to encounter the living God whom we seek.”
This year, we give particular thanks for the life and witness of Sister Marguerite Mae, CSC, who professed her vows 40 years ago and has spent her life embodying that call to seek God through prayer, community, and service.
She has served in parishes, homes for children, hospitals, archives, and libraries, always helping others find dignity, meaning, and beauty. She volunteered for ten years at Mildmay Hospital, ministering to children infected with HIV and AIDS, at a time when fear and stigma often eclipsed compassion.
In 2003, Sister Marguerite Mae returned to Canada from England and served two terms as Sister Provincial, offering leadership, care, and prayerful guidance to her fellow Sisters.
In 2010, when she thought she was on sabbatical, she was asked to fill in as chaplain to the staff at Westminster Abbey – an unexpected, holy appointment, placing her pastoral presence at the heart of one of Anglicanism’s most iconic worshipping communities.
And in 2018, she was elected Mother Superior of the Community of the Sisters of the Church, an affirmation not only of her wisdom and faithfulness, but of the way her life has quietly borne the fruits of the Spirit.
Like Mary Magdalene, she has stood beside those in pain. She has offered presence when there was nothing else to offer. She has listened. She has remembered. She has prayed. And in doing so, she has helped others recognize the voice of Christ calling them by name.
In the Community’s present-day ministries – offering hospitality, spiritual direction, parish work, education, chaplaincy, and accompaniment of those who are marginalized or wounded (including prostitutes) – the legacy of Mary Magdalene continues. It is a ministry of seeking and of helping others to seek, of proclaiming good news with lives quietly shaped by grace.
So let us give thanks:
For Mary Magdalene, the Apostle to the Apostles, sometimes misunderstood and misremembered, yet always faithful.
For Sister Marguerite Mae, who has mirrored that faithfulness in her own quiet and prayerful way.
For the Community of the Sisters of the Church, who balance adoration and action, tradition and transformation, silence and service.
And for the One who calls us all by name, who is already within us, teaching us how to seek. Thanks be to God.
Spiritual Renewal: A Pathway to Deeper Relationship with God